Sometimes you just have to hold your hand up and admit you've been beaten by the better side.

Those rather glib words seem appropriate regarding Hull's 25-12 win over Widnes on Thursday night at the Select Security Stadium.

The Vikings got off to a flyer with two early converted scores and should probably have had at least one more in that early period.

If they had pushed their lead out a little further, who knows what might have transpired?

But they didn't and it might not have mattered anyway.

The simple fact is that Hull were very good, indeed largely dominant, for the last hour of the match.

Hull's pack never took a backward step defensively and made relentless yardage going forward. The power of the likes of Mickey Paea, Liam Watts, Mark Minichiello and Gareth Ellis was plain for all to see.

The quick play-the-balls they gained provided the perfect platform for dummy-half Danny Houghton and half-backs Marc Sneyd and Leon Pryce.

By contrast, the Vikings just couldn't get a roll on up front after their opening salvo which made it easier for Hull to keep tabs on danger men like Kevin Brown and Rhys Hanbury.

Brown, who signed a new extended contract with the Vikings earlier in the day, left the field with a head knock in the second half but coach Denis Betts revealed later his withdrawal was largely precautionary.

Betts was unhappy with the way his troops let the opposition back into the contest after their flying start but also credited an impressive Hull side.

He said: "We spoke in the week about how it was important it was, for two sides coming off short turnarounds, to come out with the most energy and to drain the opposition's energy.

"I thought we did those things. We had good field position, showed good enthusiasm and should have put more points on the board.

"We had another couple of opportunities and created some clear-cut chances.

"Then we went sloppy; we just let them in.

"You've got to give credit to the way they stayed in the fight but we dropped off in focus.

"Letting a player skip across our line and get us on the edge or letting somebody just put the ball down from dummy-half is just a drop-off in focus.

"I thought both their back-rowers - Ellis and Minichiello - were oustanding for them. The physicality they brought in the second half we just couldn't match.

"We tried our best and there was no lack of effort in us.

"The lads are disappointed. This is our home ground and it's a place we don't want to lose games.

"We want to show our supporters what it means to us when we play here. It's got to hurt a lot when we do lose on this ground.

"We came into the game with a lot of good intentions and a lot of purpose and I think that showed in our start.

"But we let them back in the game and then they took control."

The defeat saw the Vikings drop out of the Top 8 and they face a daunting trip to Hull Kingston Rovers next Sunday.